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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25921789">Don't Let Them Win</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oksanna_Mallman/pseuds/Oksanna_Mallman'>Oksanna_Mallman</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Wynonna Earp (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:54:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,219</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25921789</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oksanna_Mallman/pseuds/Oksanna_Mallman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Wynonna Earp noticed something was off when she saw Nicole at the Chili Cook Off (For Freedom!) Maybe its time for some tough love.</p><p>It's short, but i cant get this idea out of my head(not my idea, someone on Twitter suggested this) that Wynonna is the one to pull Nicole through the darkness that is her PTSD. I had to explore it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Wynonna Earp &amp; Nicole Haught</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>70</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Don't Let Them Win</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wynonna Earp leaned against the doorframe, and sipped a glass of whiskey. Normally, she'd toss it down in one go, but tonight she was distracted. A quiet hum echoed through the Homestead as it's occupants spoke. Nedley and Chrissy were having a discussion by the fireplace, Doc and Rachel were swapping stories at the table and Nicole and Waverly giggled quietly on the couch. It all seemed standard Earp Family goings on, but something was off. Nicole, who was usually very attentive, was shifting in her seat and her attention was not fully on Waverly. After she glaced out the window for the fifth time, Wynonna had, had enough. She drained the rest of her whiskey and walked over to the couch.</p><p>"Hey Nicole, I could use your help in the barn." Nicole looked up, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>"Now? It's 9:30 at night. Can't it wait?" Wynonna shook her head.</p><p>"Come on, Haught, it'll take two minutes." Nicole sighed, untangling herself from Waverly. She rose off the couch and stepped toward the front door. Wynonna said nothing as they traipsed across the snow covered yard toward the barn. She knew it was shitty, luring the former sheriff out to the barn on a lie, but she also knew Nicole Haught. Tough, smart, fiercely loyal, and brave, Nicole was a cop through and through. If Wynonna had learned anything about her, when they were searching for Eden it was, Nicole Haught was a fighter. Nicole Haught would chuck herself down a grate if it meant that their family was safe. But it had been 18 months, a lot of those Nicole had spent alone, protecting and fighting for a family she had no idea would ever come home. Thank God for Rachel, otherwise, Wynonna would have to do this with a much more broken Nicole.</p><p>They reached the barn and Nicole turned to face Wynonna. Wynonna closed the door and stood in front of it. There was a chance this could get ugly.</p><p>"Ok, so what is so urgent that it couldn't wait til morning?" Nicole asked, tucking her hands into her pockets. Wynonna took a quick inventory of the ginger. She had a gun on her hip, she never left the house without one anymore. Wynonna had no weapon, Peacemaker was still MIA. Hopefully, Nicole would listen.</p><p>"You." Nicole's eyes locked on Wynonna. Wynonna held her breath, bracing for something. Anger, denial, grief, anything. But nothing came. Nicole sighed, shifting her gaze to her feet. This was not the Nicole Wynonna was used to.</p><p>"I'm fine, Wyn." Wynonna shook her head.</p><p>"No, Nicole, you're not. You're fighting...something." </p><p>"We've all got our demons Wynonna, you should know that better than anyone." Wynonna nodded, then said quietly.</p><p>"But I'm not letting mine win." </p><p>Sheriff Haught mad a brief appearance as Nicole's attention rested fully on Wynonna. Her uneasy shifting morphed into anger. There she was. Nicole Haught had returned.</p><p>"What the hell does that mean?" Nicole glared at the demon hunter as her defenses came up. Wynonna was in dangerous territory. She matched Nicole's volume.</p><p>"It means, you're letting your demons win, Haught!" Nicole scoffed, clearly disagreeing. But she said nothing. She knew Wynonna was right. Wynonna pushed further.</p><p>"I can see it all over your face!" Wynonna stepped into the ginger's space, and finished with the one thing she knew would break the beloved redhead out of whatever cage the voices had her in.</p><p>" And so can Waverly." Nicole reacted as if someone had dumped ice down her back. She stiffened, her eyes locked on the oldest Earp. Wynonna could feel the anger from a foot away. If Nicole had any desire to fire her weapon, Wynonna had just given her the fuel. Nicole balled up a fist and for a moment, Wynonna could see another right hook coming her way, until....Nicole sighed, unclenching her fist. The anger became guilt and the former sheriff turned and walked away. She sat on an old wooden crate. Wynonna followed, but gave her breathing room. Bringing up Waverly had unlocked something in Nicole, and it hurt. Nicole dropped her head into her hands, and sighed.</p><p>"I love her, Wynonna."  Wynonna sighed, crouching in front of Nicole. She pulled her face up so their eyes met. Nicole's filled with tears.</p><p>"I know. And now she's home. She's back, Nic." The tears ran down Nicole's cheek, and Wynonna wiped them away. Here comes the but.</p><p>"I know, but..." Nicole stuttered out. </p><p>"But 18 months is a long time."  Wynonna finished for her. Wynonna understood. Nicole had spent 18 months battling God-knows-what and those nightmare were hard to shake , even with the gang home. Nicole took a shaky breath.</p><p>"You know, it wasn't so bad in the beginning. I mean, my leg was busted but I was home, in my town, where I was sheriff. But, when the magistrate showed up and I was replaced...Wynonna, I lost one of the last  things that made me whole. I had already lost the love of my life, if I'm not Sheriff, then who the hell am I?!" Wynonna rose, shoving the ginger's arm so she would move over. She sat down. Nicole sniffled and Wynonna placed a calm hand on her leg.</p><p>"You're Nicole Haught, with or without the star. You are the love of my little sister's life, and you're the crazy, ginger bitch who punched me and fell down a grate and shattered your leg. You are one of the bravest people I have ever met and we can't win this war without you." Nicole opened her mouth to speak, but Wynonna pressed on.</p><p>"Nicole, I know this is hard, but we can help. You are not alone. I know sometimes it feels like it's just you and the demons, but you have a whole army here. Or at least, a semi-alcoholic demon hunter, an angel, and a old as shit gunslinger....and Jeremy." Nicole looked at Wynonna, chuckling. The fear was still plastered across her face.</p><p>"Wyn, if I let go of the demons, what if I'm not the same person you left in Monument? What if Im not what Waverly wants anymore?" Wynonna shook her head.</p><p>"Nicole, if you let go of the demons, you'll be free. As for Waverly...Nicole, I have never seen my sister ever look at another person the way she looks at you. She looks at you like you personally filled the sky with stars, she loves you, trust me." Nicole locked eyes with the brunette. Wynonna saw something in Nicole's eyes she hadn't seen in a long time. She saw hope. Before Nicole could respond, the barn door opened and a thoroughly upset Waverly stomped in.</p><p>"Two minutes, my ass! What the hell are you two doing out here! Its freezing!"  Nicole stood, glancing at Wynonna, who smirked. </p><p>"Just talking." Waverly huffed in annoyance.</p><p>"Just talking? At 10:00 at night? In the freezing barn? About what?" Nicole walked up to the angry Earp and wrapped her in a hug. </p><p>"I love you, Waverly." Waverly's anger dissipated as she melted into her girlfriends embrace.</p><p>"I love you too, Nicole. You're still in trouble, though."<br/>
Nicole chuckled, turning and leading them out of the barn. Wynonna watched them walk out of the barn, smiling. 
Idiots.</p>
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